The 2026 ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops brought together some of the top young anglers in the country at Pickwick Lake for one of college fishing's premier events. With over 200 teams competing across two days of tournament action, the event showcased not only the future of competitive bass fishing, but also the brands and innovations helping shape the next generation of anglers.
As a supporting partner throughout championship week, Abu Garcia was on site directly connecting with collegiate anglers and supporting one of the biggest events in college fishing. The brand offered a trade-in program at their booth where competing anglers received a brand-new VoltiQ casting reel, hosted giveaways and prizes, and served as a proud overall sponsor of the event.
Abu Garcia Trade-In Program Puts New Technology in Anglers' Hands
During angler check-in prior to tournament competition, Abu Garcia hosted a reel trade-in activation that generated significant excitement among competitors. Anglers had the opportunity to trade in any fishing reel and receive a new Abu Garcia Revo VoltiQ casting reel, introducing many collegiate anglers to one of the most talked-about new technologies in fishing.
"Seeing the response from collegiate anglers throughout the trade-in program was really exciting for our team," said Joe Woodward, Senior Marketing Manager for Abu Garcia. "The Revo VoltiQ represents a new direction in fishing technology, and being able to put it directly into anglers' hands, while also giving back through local DNR programs, made this activation especially meaningful for us."
The activation created steady traffic throughout check-in and gave anglers a hands-on look at how Abu Garcia continues to push innovation forward with the electronically controlled Revo VoltiQ casting reel. The 100's of traded-in reels will be donated to local DNR programs to introduce kids into fishing and continue the future of the sport.
Auburn University Claims National Championship Title
Representing 15th ranked Auburn University, Benjamin Travis and Carty Shoen captured the 2026 Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship title with a two-day total of 45.30 pounds. The Auburn duo entered Championship Day leading the field after weighing 26.91 pounds on Day 1 before backing it up with another strong limit of 18.39 pounds to secure the victory by just over one pound.
Auburn's victory marked another major moment for the team on one of the biggest stages in college fishing. The win also delivered Auburn University its third ACA National Championship title, making it one of only two schools to accomplish that feat in the history of the event.
"We were pumped up. It was one of those deals that just seemed meant to be," said Benjamin Travis from the University of Auburn. "We had a short practice with Carty flying in from Arizona, and we spent most of practice just looking around and ruling out offshore areas."
Travis and Shoen faced adversity on the final day after catching far more fish than Day 1, but were unable to connect on some bigger bites that fueled their monster bag the day before. It wasn't until a quick spur-of-the-moment decision by Shoen to tie on a previously cut off bait rolling around on the bottom of the boat resulted in a crucial last second cull.
"We had about 15 minutes left and went back to a spot where I saw a couple big ones following my bait earlier in the day," said Travis. "Carty had a gut feeling to pick up a neko-rigged Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Hit Worm Magnum we had cut off and laid in the bottom of the boat. He made one cast with that and immediately caught a 4-pound smallie that helped us get the win."
The duo from Auburn fished isolated stumps and shallow flats primarily with a neko-rigged Berkley PowerBait MaxScent 'Moeba to catch the majority of their two-day limit. Travis and Shoen both fished the 'Moeba on a Abu Garcia Fantasista X 7" medium heavy power, fast action spinning rod, paired with Abu Garcia Revo Rocket spinning reels spooled with 10lb Berkley X9 Braid to a 16lb Berkley GinClear fluorocarbon leader.
"The new 'Moeba was really our all-star bait this week and caught seven of our ten fish," said Travis. "I love that the 'Moeba is made out of MaxScent material because it helps the bait sink and doesn't require you to add a bunch of weight to get the bait down to the fish."
Peyton Sorrow Lands 10-Pound Giant to Highlight Championship Week
One of the defining moments of the tournament came on Day 2 when Peyton Sorrow landed the overall big bass of the event, a 10.09-pound giant. After sitting tied for 63rd place following Day 1, Sorrow and teammate Brady McCormick mounted an impressive championship day comeback, weighing in the largest bag of the tournament at 27.97 pounds. Their Day 2 surge propelled the duo to a third-place finish with a two-day total of 44.26 pounds.
The final day of the tournament the duo from Montevallo fished isolated stumps and pieces of brush with a 3/4-ounce Berkley flipping jig to catch the stubborn bass of Pickwick lake. Sorrow fished the jig on a Abu Garcia Zenon 7'3" heavy power, fast action casting rod, paired with the new Abu Garcia Revo VoltiQ SX spooled with 20-pound Berkley GinClear fluorocarbon.
"I threw my jig at this stump on LiveScope and watched a small bass go after it. I pulled it over the stump, and then this giant fish came up off the bottom and ate the bait," said Sorrow. "At first, I thought it was a big catfish until my line started running toward the surface. The bass jumped two feet out of the water, and once we got it in the net, I just put the trolling motor on Spot-Lock and sat there in disbelief. That fish completely changed our day and shot us right back into contention."
Looking Ahead
From hands-on product experiences at check-in to championship moments on the water, the 2026 ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship once again demonstrated why collegiate bass fishing continues to be one of the fastest-growing levels of the sport. For Abu Garcia, the event provided an opportunity to support the next generation of anglers while celebrating the performance, passion, and progression driving competitive fishing forward.
"College fishing events are one of the best ways to connect with the next generation of anglers, and the ACA Championship continues to be a great showcase for the sport," said Marc Kempter, VP of Marketing for Abu Garcia. "From the VoltiQ trade-in program during angler check-in to the Abu Garcia VoltiQ Lounge at weigh-in, it was a great week to support collegiate anglers and be part of one of the biggest events in college fishing."
To learn more about Abu Garcia, click here.
About Pure Fishing
Pure Fishing is a collection of the world's favorite fishing brands. Every day, all around the world, someone experiences the joy of catching a fish with one of our products. From gear for epic battles at sea to a relaxing day with family at the lake, our portfolio includes the most recognized and admired brands in fishing tackle, lures, rods, reels and storage. Abu Garcia, Berkley, DAM, Fenwick, Fin-Nor, Frabill, Greys, Hardy, Hodgman, Johnson, JRC, Madcat, Mitchell, Penn, Pflueger, Plano, Prologic, Savage Gear, Shakespeare, SpiderWire, Stren, Ugly Stik and Van Staal.